9 Hot Summer Time Marketing Ideas for Your Business

With summer just around the corner, it’s a good time to start planning your summer themed small business marketing promotions. Here are 9 hot marketing ideas that will build buzz and keep your business humming all summer long!

1. Set a World Record!

Guinness Book of World Records lists thousands of records that you could attempt to break, or you could even set a new record. You could set a “World’s Largest” record, such as the World’s Largest Ice Cream Sundae, or the World’s Largest Burrito. Or you could set a record like the World’s Longest Game, Contest, Event or more. The possibilities are endless. 2. Celebrate a holiday! There is lot of zany “holidays” in the summer. For example, the World’s Ugliest Dog contest is held annually in June, in Petaluma, California. July is “National Horseradish Month” and “National Ice-Cream Month;” anyone for horseradish flavored ice-cream? Invite people to celebrate it with you. Do some fun giveaways, or even have a contest.

3. Have a birthday party!

This is one of my favorites. Make your place the official birthday headquarters for a celebrity. Put together a huge birthday card or banner and invite people to come sign it. Set up a video camera so that people can record their birthday wishes, then put the videos on You Tube. Take lots of pictures and make sure you send the cards, banner, etc. to the celebrity. You can find out celebrity birthdays on http://www.famousbirthdays.com/ and you can find out how to contact them at http://www.contactanycelebrity.com. Or better yet, hold a big summer time birthday party for all of your customers who have a summer birthday and have them invite their family and friends. Have fun giveaways. You could even have contests such as “Best celebrity look alike.”

4. Host a food-eating contest!

Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs has been hosting their hotdog eating contest every summer since 1916. This event has become so famous; it is carried on ESPN and watched by an estimated 1 million people worldwide! Your business doesn’t have to be food-related to host this kind of contest. Everyone loves food and it’s a great way to get free publicity and have some fun.

5. Host a TweetUp!

A “tweetup” is a social gathering of people who are on Twitter and there are tweetups occurring all over the world. You can host one at a local restaurant during happy hour, or even a local park; make it a barbecue! You’ll get to meet new people and connect with those you have been following or are following you. You can create or find a tweetup on Twtvite.com.

6. Sponsor a fund raiser!

The recession has hit all of us, but probably none have been hit harder than charities that help the needy. Revenues are down, but demand for services is up as families struggle to make ends meet. Partner with your favorite charity to sponsor or even host a fund raising event. It’s a great way to help others and to keep your business visible in the community.

7. Get social!

If you haven’t adopted Twitter or Facebook because you just don’t get it, now is the time to hop on board. Take a class so you can learn how to use it and then do. You’ll meet people and be introduced to opportunities that you’ve not had in the past.

8. Go on a date!

Schedule some quality time with your best customers, referral partners and vendors. Go golfing, take them to a ballgame, or just go out to lunch or dinner. Invest time in the important people in your business. They will continue to invest in you.

9. Perform random acts of kindness!

Summer time is a great time to surprise your clients, friends and even strangers with random acts of kindness. Give away water, flowers, or squirt guns on a street corner. Fill up some coolers with ice and cold drinks, or use dry ice for ice cream bars and popsicles. Visit clients at their office or place of business and surprise them with an refreshing summer surprise. Summer time doesn’t have to mean slow time for your business, implement some of these hot summer marketing ideas in and you will see immediate results. What are your hot summer marketing tips? Post them here.

At 23 Kazoos, all we do is build buzz for auto repair shops! Because of the work we have done for them, our clients have obtained new customers, and increased their reputation and visibility in their communities.